Harry Potter and the Betrayer of Good
by Youngblood
Summary: PRE OOTP. With rumors of a Death Eater at Hogwarts, Harry does not know who to trust. Paranoia and suspicion reign as betrayal, danger, and unexpected love shroud the halls of Hogwarts. And Harry faces something worse than he has ever done before, and
1. Unexpected Guests at the Burrow

Chapter One: Unexpected Guests at the Burrow  
  
Harry Potter looked longingly out his window. He sighed and looked out into the night; only a week until he returned to his school, Hogwarts, but it seemed like an eternity.  
  
He got up and walked around his rather small and unusual room (it was unusual because one would not find a trunk with spell books spilling out of it, a broomstick, and a rather large birdcage for his owl, Hedwig, who was out at the moment, in a regular boy's room). He glanced at his clock- 2:32 am. He looked in his mirror and frowned. He saw a skinny 15 year old boy with round glasses and an unruly mass of thick black hair. He tried to smooth it down with his hand, but as usual, his hair had a mind of its own. The only feature Harry liked about himself was a lightning bolt- shaped scar that the Dark Lord Voldemort had given him.  
  
All of a sudden, he heard a fluttering at his window. He turned to find his snowy owl Hedwig, perched on the sill with two letters in her beak. Harry rushed over, gave Hedwig a treat, and got the letters.  
  
He opened the first one, it was from his godfather, Sirius (who happened to be on the run from the Ministry of Magic).  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
How has your summer been? Those Muggles haven't been treating you too badly, have they? If they have, just remind them that you have a convict for a godfather. That'll shut them up.  
  
Harry, now I don't wish to alarm you, but ever since You-Know-Who returned last year, rumors have been circulating that he's gotten new followers-- followers at Hogwarts.  
  
Harry paused. He could not believe what he was reading. It couldn't be true. Hogwarts had always been the one place that Harry felt safe. He continued to read.  
  
Now, it may not be true, but Harry, please keep an eye out and be careful who you trust. I'll be in touch.  
  
Snuffles  
  
Harry sat for a minute, soaking it all in. I'll bet anything that if ther is a Death Eater at Hogwarts, it's Malfoy, he said to himself. He nervously glanced around the room, as if expecting Draco Malfoy himself to pop out of the shadows. He opened the next letter-- it was from Ron.  
  
Hi Harry!  
  
Hope your summer's been good! Mine sure has! Fred and George are showing me how to make loads of joke stuff that we can try out at school! But anyway, want to come to stay with us on Thursday and come with us to Diagon Alley? Tell the Muggles we'll take you to the station. Send word soon!  
  
Ron  
  
P.S. You haven't heard from Hermione lately, have you? I've been sending her letters, but she hasn't answered to one of them!  
  
Now that Harry thought of it, he hadn't heard from Hermione since the last day of school last year-- not even for his birthday. Harry thought it was odd, but didn't see any cause for alarm. Sometimes, when Hermione got caught up in her studies, she didn't talk to anyone for weeks.  
  
Suddenly, Harry heard a thump on his windowsill.  
  
Harry whipped his head around to find Ron's tiny, hyperactive owl, Pigwidgeon, struggling to grip the windowsill. Harry sighed-- it was only Pigwidgeon after all; he was getting jumpy with all the talk of Death Eaters. Harry walked over and hoisted the owl into the room. Pigwidgeon promptly started to hop about, twittering madly on the floor.  
  
"Calm down, with you?" Harry said to the owl, but then he noticed something peculiar about Pigwidgeon; the little owl was still hopping about as energetically as ever, but it looked as if it was limping. On closer inspection, Harry realized that Pigwidgeon looked as if he had been through a rather violent scuffle; his wings were all displaced and he even had a bloody scratch on his face.  
  
"Boy, Pigwidgeon," said Harry. "Have you been through a storm or what?" The bird hooted chipperly in response, and resumed its celebration of delivering Harry's letter.  
  
Then, Harry noticed the note tied to the owl's leg-- it was all beaten up and torn. Harry furrowed his eyebrows and untied the message. What was inside frightened him; the words were scrawled as if in a great hurry, barely legible. He couldn't even make out most of the words-- the note was torn in a lot of places. The few words he could read were: "in danger", "the Burrow", "not much time", "they're coming", "don't know how" and "help ple-" that's where the letter was torn off.  
  
Harry's heart began to race as he read the letter again-- the Burrow!  
  
"Ron!" cried Harry. He grabbed his broom and without a second thought, he mounted it and flew as fast as he could out the window.  
  
Once Harry was in the air and rocketing towards the Burrow, he realized that doing this without putting an invisibility charm on himself and his broom was very stupid. Muggles might be easily startled when they look into the sky to find a 15 year old boy riding a broomstick. Harry was sure that any minute, officials from the Ministry of Magic would track him down and force him to land... but that didn't matter now-- Ron was in danger.  
  
The scenery below Harry rapidly changed from city to country. After a few minutes, Harry saw a rather large, shabby, but cozy house closing in fast. He speeded up and softly landed on the ground outside the front gate. He drew his wand and looked at the house; it was dark and silent. That right away made Harry unnerved-- the Burrow was always filled with lights and laughter. Harry slowly opened the gate and walked up to the door. He paused for a minute, trying to listen, but he heard nothing. He gripped the doorknob, then ripped it open.  
  
"Expelliarmus! Expeliramus! Expeliramus!" he cried, whipping his wand around in all directions.  
  
Harry saw a group of people with flaming red hair, the Weasleys, tied together in a cluster on the floor of the kitchen. Two figures with cloaks and their hoods drawn up stood over them. They both looked up, their faces remaining hidden behind the hoods.  
  
"It's the boy!" hissed one of them, but before they could do anything about it, Harry cried, "Rictusempra!" Both the figures flew back into the air and landed with a thud against the wall. They both got up hastily and one of them pulled out his wand- "Avad-", but before he could finish, the other grabbed his arm.  
  
"No!" he hissed. "His instructions--"  
  
"He wants the boy dead doesn't he?" shrieked the one with the wand. "He will reward us!"  
  
"Don't! He wants to face him alone!" The other sighed exasperatingly. "We must bring the boy to him." While they were arguing, Harry yelled the most powerful curse he knew which sent the two hooded men out through the windows. When Harry looked out the window to finish them off, they were gone.  
  
"Disapparated..." Harry muttered to himself. He heard muffled cries behind him, and turned to loosen the gags on the Weasley family. Ginny was crying, and Fred and George looked frightened out of their wits. Ron was pale as snow as Harry ungagged him.  
  
"Oh, Harry," he said, his voice small and strained. "I thought I was going to die!"  
  
"Ron," said Harry, untying the rest of the family, "What happened? Who were they?" 


	2. The Death Eaters

Author's Note: I forgot in the first chapter to introduce myself. My penname is Youngblood, and this is my first fic on FanFiction.net. I've already had this story on a few other storyboards, so please let me know what you think!  
  
********************* Chapter Two: The Death Eaters  
  
Ron gulped a bit, then said, "We were eating dinner. I had forgotten something upstairs, so I went up to my room to get it. I was in my room when I heard crashing and yelling downstairs. I went to the landing and looked down. I saw those two hooded men downstairs, pointing wands at everyone.  
  
'Where's the boy?' one of them kept demanding. Dad was standing up, and Ginny was crying.  
  
'We don't have a boy other than these,' said Dad, thinking it was me they were after.  
  
'Where's Potter?' they said at last. 'We know you have him here!'  
  
'Harry?' asked Dad. 'He's not here.'  
  
'Stop your lying!' cried one of them, and blasted him with a curse. I ran back upstairs and I grabbed some paper and wrote to you, but then I heard them coming up the stairs. They burst into my room and yelled, 'What are you doing, boy?' I tied the note to Pig's leg, and threw him out the window, but one of the Death Eaters grabbed his leg and started clawing at the letter and at Pig. Pig finally struggled loose and started flying away. The Death Eaters tried to shoot it down with their wands, but he got away. They took me back down to the kitchen and tied me up with the rest of my family and they kept asking where you were. I don't know how long they kept us down there. They kept. they kept hitting Mum, but none of us would tell them anything. Then you came in, and you know the rest." Ron's expression was a mixture of utter loathing for the Death Eaters and terror.  
  
"Ron, this is all my fault," said Harry. "You shouldn't have had to go through this." Ron looked up at Harry and put on a brave smile.  
  
"Its ok, Harry," said Ron. "None of us were going to tell them anything. I would've died first." Harry didn't say anything-- nothing could've expressed his friendship and gratitude for Ron. He just patted Ron on the shoulder, his throat feeling tight.  
  
Just then, the door flew open. Ginny screamed.  
  
"Freeze!" cried a voice from the doorway. When the dust cleared, they saw two Ministry officials standing there, their wands pointed at the Weasleys. Then, they heard Mr. Weasley's voice behind the officials.  
  
"No, no! I told you, they've already gone!" Mr. Weasley squeezed through, followed by the Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge.  
  
"Well, Arthur, we just want to be sure," said Fudge, brushing the dust off his suit jacket. His voice didn't sound as carefree and aloof as when Harry had last heard it. It sounded worried and even frightened.  
  
"Is everyone alright? Molly?" asked Mr. Weasley.  
  
"We're alright, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley, clutching Ginny to her.  
  
"Harry!" cried Fudge, coming over to Harry and gripping his shoulders. "Are you alright? You're sure? Well..." He let go of Harry. "I'm afraid we'll have to transport you all to a safer destination. From now until when I see fit, you will stay at The Leaky Cauldron-- all of you. Harry and the other one-- Randy, is it? Oh, Ron-- yes, Harry and Ron and the other three will stay until they go to Hogwarts in a week. Personally, I'd rather have Dumbledore watching them right now, but as it is."  
  
Ginny, George, and Fred didn't look as if they liked being referred to as "the other three."  
  
"Mr. Fudge, sir," said Harry, quietly.  
  
"What? Oh, yes Harry?"  
  
"This isn't necessary. I can stay here at the Burrow."  
  
Fudge laughed rather nervously. "No, no, it's not safe here right now, Harry. You must go to the Leaky Cauldron."  
  
In the next hour, the Ministry officials packed the Weasleys' things and shuffled them and Harry into the kitchen.  
  
"Now, Harry, your things will be sent to you very soon," said Fudge. "I've got people at you aunt and uncle's house now, getting them for you. Now be sure to annunciate properly!" He hastily handed them all a handful of Floo Powder and pushed them towards the fire. "I'm sending Ministry Official to look after you once you get there! Off you go!"  
  
********** Harry sighed and put down Quidditch Through the Ages. This was the sixth time he had read it, but Fudge would let neither him nor Ron nor anyone for that matter out of the Leaky Cauldron without a Ministry escort. Fudge had even insisted (to Harry's exasperation and embarrassment) on putting a Ministry official in Harry's room to guard him all the time.  
  
It had been three days since they arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry looked over at the official. He was middle-aged, chubby, and balding; he didn't look like he could defend Harry against an angry house elf, let alone Voldemort.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't do that," said Harry to the official, who was trying to fix his wand by making it shoot out slugs. They had landed on Harry several times.  
  
"Well, if I'm going to defend you against You-Know-Who, my wand must be in tip-top condition!" replied the official. Harry sighed again. At that moment, Ron ran in, waving a letter.  
  
"A letter from Hermione!" he exclaimed, plopping down on Harry's bed. "I waited to open it with you."  
  
"Finally!" said Harry. Ron opened the letter and read it out loud:  
  
"Dear Ron and Harry,  
  
I heard what happened, and I am writing to make sure you're alright. How horrible to have Death Eaters break into your house, Ron! Thank goodness they didn't find you, Harry! However did you escape them? Did you hide? Please send word right away to let me know you're alright!  
  
Love,  
  
Hermione'"  
  
"What's she talking about 'did you hide'?" asked Ron.  
  
"I think she thought I was staying with you," replied Harry.  
  
"That's weird," said Ron. He grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote,  
  
Dear Hermione,  
  
We're fine. How about you? You sound... off. And Harry wasn't at my house when the Death Eaters broke in, so he didn't hide anywhere. Are you coming to Diagon Alley soon? We're bored to tears here.  
  
Ron 


	3. Back to 9 and 34

Chapter Three: Back to 9 and ¾  
  
During the next few days, Harry and Ron stayed in the Leaky Cauldron; they had no desire to be stared at and whispered about in Diagon Alley. They hung out a lot with Fred, George, and Ginny. The twins seemed to have recovered from the episode with the Death Eaters quite nicely and were back to their old tricks again. (Now that Percy wasn't around, they chose to pick on Ron-- putting slug paste on his toothbrush for instance) Ginny had recovered tolerably well, but still tended to go off in the corner by herself and gaze out the window, and she got a glazed-over look in her eyes from time to time that unsettled Harry.  
  
Harry couldn't help but notice how she had changed over the summer. Her hair was longer and it had grown darker with a bit of a natural curl at the end. She no longer looked like a little girl anymore-- how she had always appeared like to Harry. She looked more thoughtful now; she still acted nervously around Harry; she was still quite taken with him. Harry talked with her more now as she had grown out of running away whenever she saw him.  
  
The next day, the Weasleys, Harry, and the Ministry officials all traveled to King's Cross station, platform 9 3/4. Ginny joined her 4th year friends, and Fred and George joined Lee Jordon and their lot. As Ron and Harry went to their usual car, Ron said, "Still no reply from Hermione. What has gotten into her?"  
  
Just as the train was about to leave, the car door slid open and in stepped Hermione, looking flustered and carrying her cat, Crookshanks', basket under one arm.  
  
"Well, there you are," said Harry.  
  
"Hi, Harry, Ron," she said and sat down. "Haven't talked to you two in awhile."  
  
"Yeah, no bloody kidding!" exclaimed Ron. "What are you playing at, not writing us one bloody letter except when we're almost killed by Death Eaters! Not even for Harry's birthday!" Hermione looked as if something had bitten her.  
  
"Oh, no! I didn't, did I?" she exclaimed, sounding as if she was panicking. "Oh, I did didn't I? How simply monstrous of me! Harry, I'm so sorry!"  
  
"It's ok, Hermione," said Harry, glad at least to see Hermione as her old self again.  
  
"On the first Hogsmeade trip, I'll buy you all the candy you want!" she said.  
  
"Cheers!" exclaimed Ron.  
  
"No, Hermione," said Harry. "You don't have to do that."  
  
"Harry!" hissed Ron. "She's offering to buy you candy! Don't be daft!"  
  
They had a merry train ride for about a half hour, chatting about their summers and how school would change now that they entered their fifth year, when Ron said, "Hermione, why were you so busy? What on earth were you doing all summer?"  
  
"A project," replied Hermione, simply, eating a chocolate frog. Crookshanks was stalking the wrappers on the floor.  
  
"A project?" asked Harry. "It was a very big one then?"  
  
"Oh, yes," she said. "Monstrous. I quite enjoyed it." Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"What for?" asked Harry.  
  
"For Defense against the Dark Arts."  
  
"I didn't know you were interested in that."  
  
"Oh, yes, fearfully fascinating," she said, finishing the frog and wiping her hands. Harry tried to remember where he'd heard those words before, but Hermione cut off his thoughts. "Would you pass me those fizzing whizbees? Thanks."  
  
"Ok." said Ron, slowly. "Care to elaborate there, Hermione?"  
  
"Well, after what happened to Harry last year, and. and Cedric and all," she looked to Harry as if waiting for permission to go on. Harry said nothing, so she continued. "After that, I figured, I might as well be prepared. We three aren't exactly repellant to danger; it usually finds us one way or the other. So I asked Professor McGonagal if she would send me a project to do, seeing as she is the only. willing teacher who is at all competent with the Dark Arts." Harry grinned. By "willing," he knew Hermione meant that the only other teacher familiar with the Dark Arts at Hogwarts was Professor Snape, and he certainly wasn't about to do Hermione a favor by sending her extra projects, or anything she might enjoy.  
  
"Looks like we're almost there," said Hermione. "I'll just run and change." She trotted out of the car.  
  
Almost as soon as she had left, the car door slid open and in stepped none other than Draco Malfoy, a thin Slytherin with a pale, pointed face and slick blonde hair, accompanied by his two very large thugs Crabbe and Goyle. Draco smirked and folded his arms across his chest.  
  
"Weasley?" he said, pretending to be astonished. "I didn't think you'd show your face after almost being done in by those scary Death Eaters! Oh, but of course, I didn't see Potter here! Is he here to protect you, Weasley? Like he could..."  
  
"Shove off, Malfoy," said Harry. Ron had gone quite red in the face.  
  
"And he speaks for you too, eh, Weasley?" sneered Draco.  
  
"He said, shove off!" growled Ron through his teeth, standing up, his fists clenched.  
  
"Ah, yes, of course I'll leave you alone with your boyfriend," said Draco. Crabbe and Goyle laughed dumbly. Ron was about to launch himself on Draco when Draco suddenly gripped himself below his stomach. His face twisted with pain and he fell to the ground. Behind him stood Ginny Weasley. She had kicked him a little below the belt.  
  
Harry smiled, almost disbelievingly, but then he noticed Crabbe and Goyle, looking down at Ginny angrily and rolling up their sleeves.  
  
"Don't touch her!" cried Harry, and he launched himself onto Goyle, grabbing him around the neck. Ron followed suit and tackled Crabbe, knocking him to the ground. Goyle flailed about, trying to get Harry off of him, but Harry held tight and managed to get out his wand.  
  
"Petrificus Totalis!" he cried, and pointed his wand at Goyle's head. Goyle froze and fell to the ground, petrified.  
  
In the meantime, Ron was on top of Crabbe, and was punching him in the head. The blows didn't seem to affect Crabbe, however, since his head was as hard as a rock. Crabbe got up, and grabbed Ron by the scruff of the neck, picking him up off the ground. Just then, Ginny kicked him in the knee and Harry yelled the spell again, petrifying Crabbe. Draco was about to get up again, but Harry petrified him as well.  
  
Harry, Ginny, and Ron all stood there for a minute. Then Ron said, "Alright, Ginny! Way to hit him where it hurts!" Ginny grinned.  
  
"After that crack about you and Harry..." she said. Harry and Ron looked at each other, than awkwardly looked at their feet.  
  
"Anyway..." said Ginny. "I was just coming in. People kept asking me about the Death Eaters..." Her eyes began to get the look she had ever since the Death Eaters.  
  
"Look, Ginny, it's okay," said Harry. "You can stay with us." Just then, Hermione came in. She looked down at the frozen Slytherins with surprise, then tutted and said, "Not even the first day of school and you've already gotten into a fight with Malfoy." 


	4. A Shocking Return

Chapter Four: A Shocking Return  
  
Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny talked for the rest of the train ride until they reached Hogsmeade Station. It was drizzling out, and they started walking up to the castle.  
  
Ginny was ahead of Harry. The drizzle rested on her hair like dew. Harry wasn't sure why he noticed this... His thoughts were interrupted by Ron whispering into his ear, "Have you thought about who might be the Death Eater at Hogwarts?" Harry shook his head.  
  
"It could be anyone," he said.  
  
"I'll bet you anything it's Malfoy," said Ron. "How else would he know so much about the Death Eaters that attacked us?"  
  
"Ron," said Hermione all of a sudden; she had been listening, "everyone knows all about that. I mean, the Ministry couldn't really keep it quiet, could they? Attacks on a Ministry family by a pair of Death Eaters?"  
  
"Ok, fine then," said Ron, somewhat irritated.  
  
"You're just trying to get Malfoy in trouble," said Hermione.  
  
"And what's wrong with that?" demanded Ron. "He's gotten us into trouble plenty of times!" Hermione sighed exasperatingly. Harry laughed to himself. Not even the first day and already Hermione and Ron were arguing. Harry knew he missed it.  
  
The welcome feast was wonderful, as usual. At the end, Dumbledore stood up and the hall grew quiet.  
  
"I have a few start of the term announcements," he said. "A reminder that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden, and that all joke devices such as exploding hats, spitting wildcats, and whizzing fizbangers are against the rules." Harry saw Fred and George smile mischeiviously at each other. "But just another announcement..." Dumbledore's face turned grave, making Harry anxious. "I don't wish to alarm you, but there have been reports that there is... a Death Eater at Hogwarts." Everyone gasped; frightened whispers erupted in the room. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny looked worriedly at Harry. "These reports... although doubtful, may in fact be true." More whispers. "Therefore, I urge you to be on your guard at all times and to never go anywhere alone. Thank you, you may go to your dormitories."  
  
The students all rose, whispering fearfully to one another and glancing nervously and distrustfully around at one another. Harry was walking out of the hall when a hand grabbed his shoulder. Harry turned. It was Dumbledore himself.  
  
"Harry," he said, "may I have a word with you?" Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Sure, Professor," he said. Ron and Hermione walked away, nervously glancing over their shoulders back at Harry.  
  
"Step into my office, if you would, Harry," said Dumbledore and led him into his office, through the statue of the gargoyle ("Peach Creme"). Dumbledore sat behind his desk and gestured Harry to sit in a chair across from him.  
  
Dumbledore looked down on him through his half-moon spectacles and said, "Well, Harry, it is not good news that I bring to you." Harry's insides twisted in knots. "The matter is... your aunt, uncle, and cousin... the Dursleys are dead."  
  
Chapter Seven: Dumbledore's Warning  
  
"What?" asked Harry, in a stupor. He couldn't grasp what Dumbledore had just said.  
  
"They're dead, Harry," said Dumbledore, softly. Harry's mouth was open.  
  
"H-how?" he stammered. Dumbledore sighed.  
  
"It was the night after the attacks at the Burrow," he said. "Their bodies weren't discovered until early this morning. The Minister of Magic and some other Ministry officials paid your aunt and uncle a visit this morning just to make sure everything was allright after the attacks at the Burrow. They found all three of them... dead. By the Avada Kedavra curse."  
  
"Who?" was all that Harry managed to choke out.  
  
"The Ministry is now quite sure that it was two more Death Eaters; not the same that attacked the Weasleys but two others. And Harry, I don't wish to alarm you, but the Ministry can now say without a doubt that they were after you. Their guess is that two different teams of Death Eaters went to where you were most likely to be-- at the Burrow, or your Aunt and uncle's house. If you had left the Dursleys' a minute later, Harry, it can be safely assumed that you would be dead now."  
  
Harry was filled with more fear than he had had ever before-- not even when he had faced Voldemort himself last year. The thing that frightened him most was that Voldemort knew where he was. He knew that he would be at the Burrow or the Dursleys'. And now they were dead because of Harry; Harry had never liked the Dursleys, but they were his only family left, and he never wished anything like this for them.  
  
Harry looked up to find Dumbledore peering solemnly at him through his spectacles.  
  
"Are you frightened, Harry?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Harry breathed. "But Professor... how did they know? How did they know where I was?"  
  
"Can you not guess, Harry?" asked Dumbledore. "Have you not heard the rumors?" A realization hit Harry like an icy blast of wind.  
  
"A Death Eater at Hogwarts..." Harry breathed.  
  
"I do not need to tell you, Harry, that this is very serious," said Dumbledore. "More serious than anything you have ever faced before. Voldemort is alive. He has returned, and he is coming for revenge. You must be more cautious than you have ever been before Harry. Trust no one-- not even your closest friends. Anyone could be the Death Eater."  
  
Harry swallowed and nodded.  
  
"I will escort you back to your common room then, Harry."  
  
Dumbledore and Harry walked silently through the halls. Harry didn't say anything. This was far too much for him to bear. How was he supposed to be alert all the time?  
  
They stopped in front of the portrait of the fat lady that led to Gryffindor common room.  
  
Dumbledore turned to Harry and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Harry," he said. "I am so sorry that all this has happened to you. You should never have had to deal with all this. So much has been expected from one 15 year old boy, whom the world looks to far more often than it should. I just want you to know, Harry, that you don't have to strive not to let the world down. It is a sad life to live, thrust into the spotlight under the pressure and expectations of all.but, after all, Harry... you are The Boy Who Lived." Harry nodded, solemnly. "Remember, Harry. Speak to no one of this, except perhaps Snuffles and myself. Do not even tell Miss Granger or Mr. Weasley."  
  
"Not Ron or Hermione?" asked Harry. "But, Professor--"  
  
"No, Harry," said Dumbledore, sadly, "not even them. I do not think I need to tell you, either, Harry, that Quidditch will be cancelled this year."  
  
"Cancel Quidditch! Professor-  
  
"The Quidditch pitch is far too conspicuous a spot for anyone to be there at any time, Harry," said Dumbledore. "Having an entire school there for a match at the same time, even having a team practicing there." he shook his head, "it would be like inviting death, Harry. Can you understand?"  
  
Harry nodded solemnly, and they both approached the Fat Lady.  
  
"Password?" she asked.  
  
"Holy Bagpipes," replied Dumbledore. They portrait swung open. Dumbledore turned once more to Harry. "Remember, Harry, not even the ones closest to you." And with that, he gave Harry's shoulder one last reassuring squeeze and walked away. Harry sighed and climbed through the portrait hole.  
  
He walked into the common room where Ron and Hermione both stood up, anxious looks on their faces.  
  
"Well, Harry?" asked Hermione. "What did he say?" Harry looked at them both. He couldn't do it; they were his friends. How could he ever get through this without them?  
  
"He said..." Harry began. "He said that..." Ron and Hermione were both looking at him anxiously. Harry sighed. "He said that Quidditch is cancelled this year." 


End file.
